With his hands twisted behind his back, Yu Junqing shifted his shoulders uncomfortably, only to be pressed down by brute force, unable to move an inch.
“Ho-ho, look who we have here—our big movie star,” Xu Zong said, lounging on the sofa. His hand unconsciously rubbed his still-sore chest as he sneered at Yu Junqing. “Look at you—such a pitiful little sight.”
Hmph. No matter how capable Yu Junqing was, he was still in Xu Zong’s hands.
Yu Junqing ignored him and scanned the room. This had to be Xu Zong’s office, the place he’d mentioned earlier. It was secluded; along the way here, he hadn’t seen a single soul. Clearly, Xu Zong had plenty of experience with these secretive dealings.
The room exuded luxury. A large sofa was placed right next to the bed; no office desk in sight. A liquor cabinet stood nearby. Yu Junqing couldn’t help but wonder how Xu Zong had managed to protect himself so thoroughly, keeping all his dirty dealings hidden.
Xu Zong took a sip of ice water, pressing against the fiery pain in his chest. His gaze on Yu Junqing hardened. He hadn’t planned on taking things this far today, but since someone was shameless, he wasn’t about to go easy.
“So, Vice President Chen, what are you waiting for? Aren’t you going to come see our big movie star one last time?” Xu Zong’s smile was sharp with malice. He despised people who tried to act virtuous while scheming behind the scenes. Chen Guan-zhi wanted money, yet now he wanted to hide in the shadows?
“You said you’d bring him here,” Chen Guan-zhi stepped forward from behind the sofa. A flicker of hesitation passed through his eyes. Deep down, he knew this wasn’t right…
Yu Junqing was surprised. So Chen Guan-zhi was actually colluding with Xu Zong? Were they working together? Then why did their reputations differ so much?
Yu Junqing scrutinized Chen Guan-zhi. Something was off. His collar was obviously tugged roughly in frustration, his hair slightly disheveled. For someone usually so image-conscious, this was unusual. And yet, his expression carried a subtle, “See? I’ve brought him here,” that made Xu Zong sneer. Hmph—decisive actions should be clear, no need for pretentiousness in front of others.
Chen Guan-zhi stiffened, embarrassed.
Yu Junqing blinked. Interesting. Xu Zong and this vice president didn’t seem to have much of a rapport. Perhaps this could work in his favor.
“Sit down, Vice President Chen. Now that everyone’s here, let’s get straight to the point,” Xu Zong said, swallowing a gulp of ice water. Watching Chen’s embarrassed face and Yu Junqing completely at his mercy, he felt elated.
Chen Guan-zhi’s face was dark, but he obediently sat at the edge of the sofa.
Yu Junqing also wanted to sit, but it was obvious Xu Zong still harbored a grudge from earlier. There was no intention of letting him relax.
Seeing Chen obedient, Xu Zong smirked inwardly and pulled out two paper contracts.
Chen frowned. Two contracts? One would have been enough to extend Yu Junqing’s contract. But the other…
Yu Junqing squinted. So it was as he and Rui had discussed last night—they were going to use the contract as leverage.
Xu Zong noticed that Yu Junqing showed no fear. A wicked thought rose. He smiled sinisterly. “Not bad. Seems like you’re in a good mood. Hope that continues after this.”
He held one contract before Yu Junqing’s face. “See this? This is your original contract. Honestly, among all the young stars I’ve signed, yours was by far the best—stupidest, even. But thanks to you, my company and I have done very well.”
Yu Junqing clenched his fists, forcing down the veins threatening to bulge on his forehead. No—he couldn’t fall for this. He needed to keep a backup plan.
Seeing Yu Junqing remain calm, Xu Zong snorted. Good. Solid, eternal patience.
He tore the contract in half. Both Yu Junqing and Chen Guan-zhi froze. What was he doing?
“What are you doing?!” Chen Guan-zhi rushed forward, trying to snatch the contract. Was Xu Zong crazy? What was he planning?
“Now, now, Vice President Chen, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Xu Zong signaled a bodyguard to hold him back, then strolled to the table, picking up the second contract between two fingers.
“See this one? Now this is the good stuff. The previous one is almost useless… but…” Xu Zong drew out the suspense, seeing both Yu Junqing and Chen Guan-zhi’s eyes glued to him. Their anticipation was intoxicating.
“The first one was just a copy. Rest assured, I, Xu Zong, am reliable,” he said, deliberately not revealing what the second contract actually was, clearly enjoying teasing both men.
Yu Junqing, ignoring Xu Zong’s theatrics, wondered what his plan was. He lightly touched the edge of his pocket with his fingers. Hopefully, Rui wouldn’t call now—or things could get messy.
He mentally assessed the situation. With Rui outside waiting, he surprisingly felt calm. He even considered: if Rui were here, what would he do? Yu Junqing’s gaze softened into thoughtfulness. Xu Zong’s intentions were unclear, but they were certainly not good. Six people in the room—four bodyguards plus Xu Zong and Chen Guan-zhi—wasn’t something to underestimate.
“What exactly do you want me to do?” Chen Guan-zhi grew more uneasy. Xu Zong was taking his time—what was he plotting? Even if he had total control at the company, it was broad daylight. If anyone walked in now, the mess would be catastrophic.
“Nothing,” Xu Zong said, clearly enjoying Chen’s rising panic.
Why had Chen been favored for so many years? Just because the boss trusted him. But Xu Zong wasn’t inferior. Xu Zong earned more money for the boss than Chen ever did. So why did Chen sit so comfortably in that position?
The thought thrilled Xu Zong. Yu Junqing wanted to cancel his contract? Perfect, he could help him! And Chen Guan-zhi, so renowned in the company? He’d help him too—what a perfect show to stage!
The malice in Xu Zong’s eyes seemed almost tangible, twisting his features into something grotesque, a disquieting presence that even the usually emotionally insensitive Chen Guan-zhi noticed.
Is he insane? Yu Junqing shivered. Xu Zong’s expression reminded him of those criminals he’d seen on legal TV shows—crazy enough to make anyone uneasy.
Chen, standing beside him, felt it even more. From the side, Xu Zong’s veins seemed ready to burst, blood seemingly about to spill. The madness and irrationality were terrifying.
Then a flash of insight hit Chen. Xu Zong’s behavior…
“You’re on drugs?!” Chen Guan-zhi shouted. Xu Zong looked exactly like a drugged person he’d seen before!
Xu Zong licked the drool at the corner of his mouth. His eyes glittered.
“You don’t understand. This is a divine elixir, not a drug. It’s amazing—so many people are enthralled by it.”
Chen clenched his fists. Damn it! This explains why so many young stars, knowing Xu Zong wasn’t trustworthy, still fell for him. Even newcomers who had clashed with him eventually ended up in his bed.
“Have you given this to all the newcomers?” Chen demanded.
Xu Zong’s gaze shone with rapture. No words were needed—the meaning was clear. His influence went far beyond this.
Yu Junqing watched, increasingly uneasy. The whole scene felt wrong. Could they consider the kidnapped person’s feelings next time they played their love-hate games? Should he run, or wait?
Meanwhile, outside, Bo Rui wasn’t faring much better.
To conveniently “pick up” Yu Junqing if needed, Bo Rui had moved his car into the company after waiting a while. The parking lot air was terrible, so he waited inside Star Entertainment, sitting quietly on the VIP sofa.
The company was full of ruthless climbers, each with mental “plugins”: one to read people’s backgrounds, the other to gauge the value of their clothing.
This morning, Bo Rui had a transnational video call, so he dressed appropriately. Coupled with his usual stoic public demeanor, he inadvertently exuded a commanding aura.
“Look over there! Is that person wearing the latest men’s designer collection?” The elevator doors opened, and two boys, barely in their twenties, stepped out. The one with gray hair immediately noticed Bo Rui in the VIP section. His eyes glittered with dollar signs as he scanned Bo Rui—it was like spotting a moving gold mountain.
The boy nudged his companion, who turned to look curiously.
They saw a man in the VIP area, radiating charisma and maturity far beyond their “fresh face” looks. He gestured subtly toward the front desk.
“Wow! She’s probably going to hit on him!” the gray-haired boy whispered, barely controlling his excitement. He and his friends knew: though the receptionist, Li Jie, appeared humble, she was proud and haughty. Frontline staff might pretend to be nice to seniors, but to them newbies? She acted superior.
“Quiet. Watch the show. I think she’s about to make a mistake,” the calm boy whispered, tugging at his pants to signal silence. They crouched in the elevator corner, watching discreetly.
Jennifer Wen, pretending to casually flip her hair, accepted the attention confidently. She moved gracefully toward the VIP section.
Earlier, she had inquired about the man’s car from the parking lot. Although she didn’t know much about cars, a quick search showed it was worth over a million! Setting aside the car, his clothes were also expensive. Jennifer knew her looks could only attract practical wealthy men, not luxury patrons—this one would do perfectly. And, of course, the man himself was… impeccable.
Jennifer noticed his broad shoulders, perfect waist, and long legs—truly ideal.
“Sir, excuse me, may I assist you? I’m the receptionist, Jennifer Wen—you can call me Julie,” she said, bowing slightly. Confidently, her posture accentuated her figure while providing a reason to approach, introducing herself perfectly.
Bo Rui, adjusting his Bluetooth earpiece, was startled by the sudden presence.
“Who are you?” he snapped, glaring at her. Her interruption had thrown off his focus on Yu Junqing, and he was frustrated.
Jennifer froze for a moment, realizing something went wrong. But her years at the front desk quickly guided her: she noticed Bo Rui’s earphone. She immediately understood.
“Sorry, sir, did I interrupt your call? I’ll step aside for a moment; please continue,” she apologized, bowing. Her chest subtly rose and fell, naturally. Then she quietly sat opposite him.
“Wow, impressive, sis!” the gray-haired boy whispered.
“Indeed,” the calm boy agreed.
Bo Rui ignored the distractions, pressing one hand over the other earpiece to ensure the call had ended, then focused. He and Yu Junqing had agreed that Yu Junqing would signal him if there was trouble. Now, with this woman’s voice interfering, he wasn’t sure if the signal had come.
Jennifer, noticing his furrowed brows, knew her chance had come.
“Sir, may I help you with anything? I’m the receptionist, Jennifer Wen—you can call me Julie.” She leaned slightly forward again, timing it perfectly. This time, Bo Rui caught every word.
“You’re the receptionist?” he said, initially uninterested, then thinking of a plan.
“Yes,” she said, heartened that he spoke to her. She leaned forward gently, exuding a calm, soft demeanor.
Bo Rui realized: Star Entertainment really did use the front desk to charm—if Yu Junqing stayed here, he’d eventually be influenced by people like her.
His mind drifted slightly, but he quickly recovered, crossing one leg and tapping lightly with clean, unadorned fingers.
Jennifer Wen’s gaze was naturally drawn to his fingers—no ring! She hadn’t been mistaken. Could he really be a high-potential catch? Excitement flickered in her eyes, mingled with a subtle, tender charm.
“Since you’re with this company, let me ask you—has your Xu Zong gone on a business trip recently? I had a deal scheduled with him, but I’m already downstairs and his phone hasn’t gone through.” Bo Rui tapped his ear, indicating the phone earpiece.
Xu Zong? Jennifer’s expression turned a little strange. That man had business with Xu Zong?
Bo Rui noticed her reaction and added, “He wanted one of my properties at Yunhai. We’d agreed to go sign the contract today, but now—nobody showed up.”
Jennifer’s expression quickly warmed. Of course—Xu Zong’s contacts weren’t limited to just anyone. A property… Yunhai… Could it be the trending Yunhai Villas? Her eyes lit up. She suddenly remembered who he was—the developer CEO of Yunhai! She recalled a past financial magazine feature, though the CEO was known for his clean reputation and rarely gave interviews—they’d only ever published a photo.
Jennifer’s whole body tingled with excitement. This was truly a golden match!
——Meanwhile, I, pitifully crying as someone steals Rui Ge, am still switching perspectives——
“Impossible! I won’t let you do this!” Chen Guan-zhi suddenly erupted. He charged at the black-clad bodyguard forcing Yu Junqing to sign the contract, knocking him heavily aside.
“Chen! Didn’t we agree before coming here? Isn’t your sister done with this?” Xu Zong was exhilarated. He hadn’t expected Chen to leap out. He bellowed, thinking that as soon as Yu Junqing signed the new contract, he could have the media expose him and sue him in court—for violating the original contract and secretly signing with another company before the expiration date.
Yu Junqing now fully understood the contract’s purpose. Xu Zong intended to frame him for breach. Yu Junqing’s eyes darkened. The astronomical penalties from the original contract flashed in his mind. Veins bulged inch by inch on his forehead; a savage, uncontainable rage rose within him.
Chen Guan-zhi stiffened. For his sister—he couldn’t allow this! If she knew her brother aided a villain like this, even if she regained consciousness, she’d never forgive him. Chen howled, voice full of frustration and struggle. He couldn’t—he couldn’t stand by.
“Not today! I will never let you harm the company again!” Chen shouted, grabbing the ashtray from the table and swinging it at Xu Zong. He knew well: if this contract blew up later, it would only tarnish the company’s reputation. No one should be subjected to a vampire-like contract!
Seeing the chaos, Yu Junqing seized the moment. He tore free from the stunned bodyguard holding him, spinning around with the groin strike Bo Rui had taught him—the pointed heel hitting precisely where it hurt.
“Ahhhhh!!!” A scream of agony tore through the room. Yu Junqing, startled, straightened his leg and unconsciously pressed harder. The black-clad bodyguard nearly vomited from the pain, teetering on the edge of unconsciousness.
“Xu Ge! Someone’s here—”
The door suddenly swung open. Jennifer Wen froze, staring wide-eyed at the chaotic scene inside the room.
“Rui Ge!” Yu Junqing withdrew his long leg and lunged toward the familiar figure at the doorway.